


It's Just a Little Rule Breaking

by LetsWookiesWin (Ravenhoot)



Series: The Interim Tales of The Princess and The Smuggler [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Between Episodes, Could Be Canon, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, Post-Star Wars: A New Hope, Pre-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Secret Relationship, Sensuality, alcohol use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 23:27:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16459073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenhoot/pseuds/LetsWookiesWin
Summary: It has been a year and a half since their mission to Voatera. Han and Leia have kept to the terms of their agreement... for the most part. A little rule breaking here and there never hurt anyone... right?





	It's Just a Little Rule Breaking

It had been just over a year since their mission to Voatera and for the most part, they had kept to the terms of their agreement. The Rebel Alliance always came first. Han was still taking missions that were lengthy, dangerous, reckless, and most times ended with Leia screaming at him about how he took too many risks with both his life and the Rebellion’s limited resources. Han would counter that he didn’t know she cared and she would turn a shade of purple that hadn’t been named yet, insist she couldn’t care less whether he and his _stupid_ freighter splattered against the side of an asteroid, and stomp off. Other pilots and members of command would shake their heads and accept it as just part of life when both Han and Leia were around, then get back to their business. True to their agreement though, they hadn’t intentionally told anyone of their arrangement... but it didn’t take long for the rumors to start. They tried to take every precaution, but there were only so many places one could go on a spacecraft floating amongst the stars.

Their “inaugural tryst” on Voatera, as Han had so eloquently nicknamed it, had been somewhat hurried since they’d had little time left on-world after completing their mission, but it had been intense and, as he liked to remind her just to watch her flush, loud. Back with the Rebellion, there had been times when they’d had only moments to duck away into a maintenance access corridor or sneak onto the _Falcon_ in between briefings, but there had also been times when they had been able to disappear for entire nights at a time. On those occasions, they had taken advantage of the opportunity to intimately learn every inch of one another. But no matter when or where or for how long, they always had to do so quietly. Han thought it added to the excitement; it drove Leia insane.

Almost every time he returned from a dangerous mission, they found themselves in each other’s passionate embrace in the wee hours of the night when the rest of the base was quiet, save for whatever sentry was on duty. That evening, he and Chewie had just returned from a month-long supply run and had been due back three days ago. It had been the longest mission he'd been sent on since their return from Voatera.  During their debriefing, Leia had sternly reminded him of keeping to the mission schedule and if there were delays, to check-in. After all the pilots had been dismissed, they mulled around the hangar, discussing a new blaster model that was coming out next month and agreed to go for drinks down to the planet the  _Home One_ was currently surveying as a potential new location for a base.

“Solo, you comin’ with?” Wedge asked.

Han hesitated and from the corner of his eye saw Leia leaning against the hangar bay door, ankles crossed, looking down at a datapad. She glanced up at him for not even a second and then turned her attention back to her datapad.

“Nah,” Han answered. “Not tonight.”

“C’mon, Han,” Luke urged.

“Nah, kid, I’m gonna turn in. That run kicked my ass. Drink one for me, though.”

“Leia?” Luke called. “How about you?”

Han felt the muscles in his neck tense as he resisted the urge to look up.

“No, thanks, Luke,” she replied. “I’ve got all these reports from the debriefing to finish.”

“Aww, c’mon, Leia. Take a night off. You deserve it,” Luke insisted.

 _She is, kid_. Han thought. _As soon as you hightail it outta here. So get lost._

“Do yourself a favor, Luke,” Leia said not unkindly. “Stay a pilot. As soon as you join Command, you’ll lose all your leisure time.”

 _Not all of it, princess_ , Han thought.

The other pilots headed toward a short-range transport at the far side of the hangar, but Chewbacca lingered.

“Go on, pal,” Han urged. “I’m just tired. _Really_.”

The Wookie cast him a doubtful glance but went with Luke and the others all the same. Chewbacca knew Han better than anyone and never knew him to refuse an open invitation to a bar, cantina, or the like. The only part of this arrangement with Leia that Han absolutely hated was lying to Chewie. When they'd set "The Rules" and included the stipulation that no one else would know, Han immediately agreed, thinking it was common sense that no one else should find out. He'd felt terrible for it later, but at the moment, he hadn't even considered his best friend... or how he would manage to keep something like that hidden from him for over a year. He couldn’t think of a single time he had ever lied to the Wookie before this.

Han made sure the little group of pilots saw him walk up the boarding ramp to the _Falcon_ and watched from the cockpit until the hangar was empty. Almost. He left the cockpit and doubled back toward his own quarters when he nearly collided with Leia.

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” Han said with that lopsided grin that made him look roguishly handsome. Leia hated and loved that kriffing grin. She wiped it from his face by grabbing him behind the neck and pulling him down to her, kissing him fiercely.

When they broke apart, he was still grinning. _Damn him!_

“I think you missed me,” Han mused.

“I think when you’re going to be gone three days passed your scheduled return date, you should _pick up your damn comm unit and tell somebody,”_ Leia seethed.

“I already told you in debriefing, I was late because I stopped at one of our other frigates for fuel and to drop off some supplies."

"It doesn't take three extra days to refuel," Leia said with a hint of accusation. 

"It does when I have to adjust course to get there."

"Why would you adjust course to get to a frigate? There are plenty along the route?"

"Not Perla's," Han explained casually.

“Perla’s?” Leia repeated, her tone dripping with venom. "You went out of your way to stop at Perla's?"

“Yeah, she's my friend. I was exhausted. I was low on fuel. She could use some of the supplies I had. What’s the big de—” He stopped suddenly. “Wait, are you _jealous,_ princess?” He looked positively gleeful at the thought.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Leia spat. “What could I possibly have to be jealous about?”

“Well,” Han pondered aloud, “You were expecting me back and I’m delayed because I stayed on the cruiser of another woman, so....”

"First of all, let's make sure we're clear. Remember the rules?"

"How could I forget something you remind me of all the time?" Han jeered.

"Well, then, you should know I don't care who you see in your personal time. But you weren't on your own personal time, you were on the Rebellion's time. And the Rebellion's time might as well be  _my_ time." 

"So I  _can_ screw around with Perla, as long as it doesn't interfere with your own schedule - am I understanding that right?" Han provoked.

Leia just glared at him.

“Did you have to handle business yourself?” He asked, faking a look of sympathy. “Is that what you’re upset about?”

“No,” Leia growled. “I did not 'handle business' myself... for three kriffing days!"Though she had been tempted. 

“Well, what are we standing around for then?” Han purred seductively.

Leia snatched the back of his neck again and pressed her mouth to his. She was almost a foot shorter than he was, so he compensated by wrapping his arms around her waist and hoisting her off her feet. Han parted her lips with his tongue and she sighed into his mouth. She really shouldn't look forward to his return this much and she  _definitely_ shouldn't crave the taste of his kiss the way she did. She reached behind her head and pulled the pin that held her braided hair in place. Han held her against him with one hand and with the other he tangled his fingers through her hair. The braid was still taut and when Han tugged on her hair, she tilted her head back. 

“Oh, gods, I hate you,” Leia gasped, greedily seeking his mouth with hers, as if she was free-floating through space and he was her oxygen.

“No, you don’t,” Han countered with a knowing smile.

“Yes... I do,” Leia insisted, sounding less certain.

Han’s hazel eyes challenged her. “Hmmm... prove it,” he growled.

She tightened her grip around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist as Han pushed her up against the bulkhead. He couldn't keep his loose hand out of her hair. She kissed him harder and deeper than she could ever remember kissing him - or anyone - before. She kissed him avariciously, clinging to him with a predatory ownership she hadn’t realized she possessed. Contrary to what she’d denied, she _was_ jealous that he’d stopped at Perla’s.

 _What if he’d... with that girl?_ She shook her head to banish the thought from her mind. She’d been waiting for him for days and she wasn’t waiting another minute. She grabbed his chin and forcefully turned his head, taking his earlobe between her teeth and biting softly. He never could resist her much longer when she did that. Just as she'd hoped he would, he carried her to his quarters and that night, they didn’t rush a thing.

****************

Han was lying on his bunk in the Captain’s quarters of his ship, ankles crossed and one arm behind his head, while Leia was re-dressing herself.

“I think Chewie’s starting to suspect something,” Han told her.

“You really haven’t said anything to him?” Leia asked in disbelief, wiggling into her pants.

“We said no one else knows,” Han reminded her.

“I know... but..." She trailed off. 

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" Han asked sharply.

"No! I just figured Chewie would be the first to find out and I assumed you’d tell him at least,” Leia admitted.

“Are you kidding?” Han quipped. “I practically live with the guy. I’m not subjecting myself to endless looks of judgment and reminders that I’m playing with fire.”

“Well, he _is_ the more sensible and respectable of the two of you,” Leia pointed out.

“Damn, princess,” Han snapped, suddenly annoyed. “I’m not home twelve hours and you’ve chastised me in front of Command, used me to get your rocks off, and now insulted me in my own ship! Any other way you'd like to beat me while I'm down?”

He looked genuinely offended, but Leia barely noticed. She’d hardly heard a word after he’d admitted that the rebel flagship was his home. It had sent her mind racing and she’d spent the remainder of his rant trying to quell the spark that had lit inside her heart. _No emotions. No feelings,_ she reminded herself. _It was your own rule! You can’t be a hypocrite and break it. Besides, it’s not like he would reciprocate, so you’d only end up getting hurt._

Leia pulled her boots on, leaned over him, and kissed him softly. “Get some sleep,” she said. “You’re grouchy.”

“Is that an order, your highnessness?” Han shot back.

Leia simply shrugged and left him alone in his quarters.

He thought back to the night they'd set the terms of their arrangement... or more like, Leia set the terms and Han had agreed to them.

 _“This stays strictly between us. No one else knows. When we're around anyone else, we act completely normal.”_ _  
_ _“Easy enough, we drive each other nuts already as it is and everyone knows that.”_

She _did_ drive him nuts. If it was only in a bad way, he would have left the Rebellion long ago, but unfortunately for him, she also drove him nuts in the best possible way and that kept him rooted to the spot, like a spice addict just waiting for his next fix.

Still, it had been interesting to see her reaction when he’d mentioned Perla. In truth, nothing had happened. He saw the girl as more of a younger sister, someone he’d taken under his wing and taught some of his tricks of the trade so she could survive without having to haul garbage for the Empire anymore. He couldn't even think about Perla the way he thought about Leia... But, oh how it got under Leia’s skin. So much that Han hadn't been able to resist fanning the flames of her jealousy. That also gave Han a lot to think about, since they had agreed not to get involved with each other, at least romantically. Theirs was a purely physical relationship - a mutual understanding that they would satisfy one another’s needs without letting things get complicated or messy.

Only things _had_  gotten complicated and messy it seemed. Leia had vehemently argued that he could do whatever (and whomever) he wanted in his personal time, but if he was being honest with himself, it had been a long time since he'd wanted any other woman besides Leia. Oh, he talked the talk and walked the walk and made her  _think_ he was some hotshot playboy, but he just didn't want to admit that the only woman he gave a damn about at all was her. Except he wasn't supposed to give a damn about her, according to the rules. No feelings. But Leia’s explosive reaction to finding out he’d stayed on Perla’s frigate wouldn’t have happened at all if there weren’t any feelings involved. They might not all be positive feelings, but there was definitely something. Since he was remembering the night they'd initiated their arrangement, he also had to remember that he broke the rules that very same night (although Leia didn't know about that). 

He lay in his bunk and tried to think about anything besides Leia, so naturally, she was the only thing on his mind. It didn't surprise him that he slept restlessly that night.

******************

The following morning, Leia was already in the briefing room when Han and Chewie meandered in. Chewie barked a question to Han, who nodded and sat next to Luke and Wedge. Chewie joined them with two cups of caf, still steaming. 

"So, fellas, what'd I miss last night?" Han asked. 

"Whole lotta nothin', Han ole buddy," Wedge answered with a frown. "Nearly everyone else is still out on scouting missions so we looked pretty pitiful, to be honest."

"Ah, it couldn't have been that bad?"

"It was bad, Han," Luke assured him. "These two old crones with no teeth kept trying to buy Wedge and me drinks. Said they liked their men young and supple. I swear, the three of us were the only beings in that place under a hundred years old."

Han and Chewie shared a quick glance. 

"The two of you, ya mean," Han corrected him. 

"No," Wedge insisted. "Chewie went with us..."

"And thank the Force because they seemed to think he was our bodyguard," Luke added. "He growled and they took off pretty quick after that. Guess they didn't understand he was just asking if we wanted another round."

"Yeah but... Chewie is... two hundred and one years old..." Han managed to explain between chuckles.

Luke rounded on Chewie and just stared at him. Wedge whistled and nodded appreciatively. 

"Damn," Wedge said. "No wonder you're always together. At that rate, he'll outlive you  _and_ you're kids!"

Han burst out laughing and Chewie mussed the smuggler's hair with a soft growl.

Han's laugh was contagious, and Leia looked up across the table at the four of them.  _Her boys_ , as she had affectionately started calling them, but only to herself. 

"What did he say?" Leia asked, unable to help herself. 

"That Wedge was right, I'm stuck with him til I'm dead," Han replied. 

A dozen more Rebel pilots entered the briefing room, followed by Generals Jan Dodonna and Carlist Rieekan and the attitude switched to straight business. Everyone received new assignments if they'd completed their existing ones and those who were still in the middle of missions updated Command on their statuses. Leia's heart sank when Han and Chewie were asked to go on another supply run. 

"I know you just got in last night and you're probably exhausted," Rieekan acknowledged, "so you can say no if you need to. But we just got word of this one late last night and that barge of supplies would push us over the tipping point between barely enough and a little extra in terms of weapon cartridges and hyperfuel. But really, Solo, don't push yourselves too—"

"It's no problem, General," Han broke in. "The  _Falcon_ just needs to be topped off with fuel and she'll be ready to go."

"You're a good man, Solo," Rieekan praised, clapping Han on the back. "And you've worked tirelessly for us ever since you helped rescue our princess," he gave a small nod of acknowledgment to Leia. "We're lucky to have you."

"Ehh, what good's the fastest ship in the galaxy if it just sits in a hangar?" Han asked rhetorically. 

"Everyone should now have their assignments," General Dodonna said. "If there are no questions, then May the Force be with Us."

The pilots collected their datapads with their mission specs and dispersed. Han leaned against the table, his foot resting on the chair he'd recently been sitting in, and reviewed the mission details on his own datapad. 

"This one won't be too bad, Chewie," Han called, even though the Wookie was just on the other side of Luke, who stood between them. "It's just one system over. Shouldn't take us more than... six days? Nine tops, if we run into trouble."

Chewbacca barked something that made Han throw his hand up and point back at the Wookie and say, "I do not! Not  _every_ time!" 

"See you in about nine days, Han!" Luke called from the doorway. 

"Oh, go kriff yourself, Luke!" Han called back but both men wore goodnatured smiles. "Chewie, go get the  _Falcon_ primed and ready for take-off so we can beat loudmouth Luke out of here."

The Wookie lumbered through the doorway and down the hall toward the hangar. Only General Rieekan and Leia remained in the briefing room. Han made a mental checklist in his head and snapped his fingers. "Hey, General."

Carlist looked up to let Han know he was paying attention. 

"Last time I checked, the med-kit on the  _Falcon_ was gettin' low, so if you're fine with it, I'm gonna stop by the med-center on my way out and sign out some field triage supplies."

"Sure, take whatever you need, Solo. Shouldn't let your med-kit get low anyway," Rieekan replied with a smirk that told Han he knew about the mishap on Corellia shortly after the Battle of Yavin. 

Han threw Leia a feigned look of betrayal. "Oh, so her Worship told you about that little disaster, did she?"

"Never know when something as simple as a bacta patch might save the use of your blaster arm," Rieekan said sagely. He clapped Han on the shoulder again and chuckled. "Have I told you we're grateful to have you here, Solo?" The General added as he punched a code into his own datapad that would grant Han one-time access to the med-supply room.

"I'm glad to be here, sir," Han said sincerely. He liked Rieekan. He was good people. The galaxy needed more men like him. 

"Safe travels, Solo," Rieekan said, shaking Han's hand firmly. 

"Thank you, sir."

Han left the briefing room and made his way to the med-supply room. He entered the door code and slipped inside. As the door swung shut, Han held his foot out to catch it before it closed completely. He waited for several minutes until he heard her soft footsteps coming down the hall. He strained to listen to make sure... yes, she was alone. When he heard her footsteps right outside the door, he swung it open, grabbed her arm, snatched her inside, and let the door slam shut. Due to there being so many valuable medications in the room, the door's security was set up so that only one person could enter at a time. Han's code had been entered and accepted. Once the door closed, no one else would be able to enter their own code and access the room until Han exited and the door registered another open/close transaction. 

The moment he'd heard the door seal, he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her close to him, lifting her off the floor as he so often did due to her petite stature. Leia placed her hands on either side of his neck and kissed him, grateful in that moment that the Alliance  _was_ short on resources and relied solely on the door security to protect the medical equipment and there were no cameras to capture their interlude. 

"Han," Leia breathed. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"For last night. I feel like I might have, I don't know, hurt your feelings. Do you have those?" She teased. 

"Hmmm," Han hummed against her mouth, "Thought we weren't allowed to have those."

"We're not," Leia agreed, silently trying to ignore the backflips her stomach was currently doing. 

"Then there's nothing to hurt," Han lied.

"I know but I—"

Han cut her off with a kiss. She wrenched her mouth away from his to finish speaking. 

"—Just didn't think they'd send you back out again so soon," she admitted. 

"Does that mean you'll miss me?" Han challenged with his trademark lopsided grin. 

"Ugh, the Dark Side take you," Leia groaned, "yes, I'll miss you... Happy?"

Han's grin spread across his face. "I sure am, sweetheart."

They spent a few precious moments locked in an embrace, savoring the taste of each other's mouths before Han had to pull away. 

"If I'm in here any longer, they'll wonder what's taking me so long," he said regretfully. 

Leia couldn't argue since the door locks registered every entry and exit time digitally. 

"I do have to hand it to you," she said appreciatively, "the med-supply room was a genius idea."

"Don't sound so surprised, your worship. I do have those from time to time."

Han hastily collected some bacta patches and other supplies he could use to restock the med-supply kit and crept to the door. He eased it open just a sliver and made sure the hallway was empty. He nudged Leia out with a final kiss and waited until she had disappeared at the other end of the hall before swinging the door open and making his way to the hangar.

******************

Han kicked his feet up onto the console after they'd gone into hyperdrive, a habit that Chewie hated, and looked at his co-pilot with trepidation.  _He's gonna find out sooner or later... and Leia thought I already told him anyway_.  _Plus, it'll make my life a helluva lot easier once he knows._

"Hey, pal," Han said tensely. 

Chewie looked up at him with curiosity. [What? That's a bad tone. What did you break?] he added, looking around for the offending broken instrument. 

"Nothing. I didn't break anything," Han said.  _And even if I had, it's my_  _ship!_

Except it wasn't. Ever since the day he'd won it, he had always considered it their ship. There had never been a day when he'd had the  _Millennium Falcon_ without Chewbacca and he hoped there never would be. One without the other just didn't make any sense. 

"Look, I gotta tell you something," Han sighed with apprehension. 

The Wookie blinked to let Han know he was listening. 

"Somethin' that ain't easy to say... and somethin' you can't tell anybody else about, okay?"

[Something other than you engaging in physical relations with Princess Leia?] Chewie asked bluntly, tilting his head to the side to give Han a piercing stare. 

"Wh—what?! How... How'd you even know that?" Han spluttered, seeing no point in trying to deny it. 

[I am a little insulted, Han.] Chewie said. [After all, I have known you for over ten years. That is not long at all for a Wookie, but for your kind, I know you very well.]

"I know you do, pal," Han agreed. "But... damn, here I was thinkin' I was doin' a pretty decent job of keepin' it quiet."

[From the other humans, yes. Luke and Wedge have no idea.] Chewie said. 

"Well, thank gods for small favors," Han huffed. "I still wanna know how you just knew."

Chewie held up his fingers as he counted off the ways. [You disappear every time we return from a mission and others talk of her absence on the same days. Your pulse quickens and your pupils dilate when you look at her or are near her. The cockpit, main hold, and corridor to your cabin have her scent and she supposedly hasn't been on this ship in over a year. I assume your cabin has her scent as well, but I do not go in there. On several occasions, you've borne each other's scent without any plausible explanation.]

Han stared open-mouthed at his closest friend. 

[Oh, and the fact that we're still here.]

"Still where?"

[With the Rebellion.] 

"How long have you known, then?" Han asked. 

[Since the day you returned from Voatera.] Chewie answered matter-of-factly, no trace of anger or resentment in his voice. 

Han's foot slipped off the console and hit the floor. He said nothing for a long time, while Chewie just watched him with a bemused expression. (Most people claimed they couldn't tell the difference between Wookie facial expressions, but Han didn't understand those people. He saw them clear as day). 

"Well, kriff me sideways," Han said quietly, using one of his preferred, if not vulgar, expressions. 

[No, thanks. I am sure by this time, the princess already has.]

"CHEWIE!" Han bellowed. The Wookie roared with laughter. 

When Han had recovered, he looked to his first mate and said, "So, you're not, y'know, pissed at me for keeping you out of the loop?"

Chewie shrugged. [It never created an issue. I assumed you had good reasons aside from your own foolish pride for keeping it quiet.]

Han chuckled, choosing to ignore the jibe at his pride, and checked the chrono. They still had at least another thirty minutes in hyperspace. "Pal, you have no idea. Let me tell you about 'the rules.'"

 


End file.
